


It’s Not What You Think

by DodgerBear



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-18
Updated: 2019-06-18
Packaged: 2020-05-14 04:30:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19265929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DodgerBear/pseuds/DodgerBear
Summary: Mickey gets sloppy and Mandy finds out his secret.





	It’s Not What You Think

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think! 🧡

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I don’t know what we are.”

 

Mickey heard the words but that’s all they were, just words. He struggled to find the context needed for them to make any sense. Ian was on the other side of the door with Mandy and Mickey was hiding out in his room waiting for the redhead to sneak away from his sister for a quick grope. Mickey’s heart pounded in his chest. He had to strain to hear anything over the repetitive thudding of his pulse in his neck. It was like he had a bass drum in his ear canal. 

He’d been fucking around with Gallagher for a few months and he’d made is crystal fuckin clear that nobody could know about it. That was just common sense if they didn’t want to die. And Mickey _didn’t_ want to die. Not now. Not when he finally had something he was okay with living for, even if he couldn’t tell the lanky ginger that the something was him. 

“If you stopped thinking with your dick and actually talked to him...” Mandy’s flippant response was loud in comparison to Ian’s gentle words. 

Ian huffed a sigh. “I already told you. I can’t talk to him. First mention of wanting to a put a label on us and he’ll leave a cloud of dust in my face.”

Mandy’s tone changed to one of sadness for her best friend. “I know you’re really into him, Ian. But I also know you want a relationship. That’s just who you are and that’s awesome. If this guy can’t stand to take you to the movies or buy you dinner at Wendy’s every now and then...well I’d say he’s not the guy for you. Cut him loose now before he really hurts you.”

Mickey’s hands gripped the doorframe until his knuckles were white as he waited for Ian’s next words. If Mickey hadn’t been pressed against the door, straining to hear everything on the other side he would’ve missed Ian’s response. 

“I can’t. It’s too late for that.” Ian whispered. 

The weight of it nearly knocked Mickey off his feet. He leaned against the wall and sucked in a deep breath and it made him light-headed. 

 

Later that night Ian managed to escape from Mandy’s clutches and sneak into Mickey’s room. 

“Hey.” Ian greeted softly and Mickey looked over from where he lay on his bed. 

“Sleepover Barbie fall asleep in the middle of Pitch Perfect again?” He drawled and looked back at the guns and ammo magazine he was pretending to read. 

Ian grinned and leaned back against the closed bedroom door. “It was Clueless, actually. But yeah. Barely made it past the opening credits.”

Mickey clicked his tongue. “Sucks to be you.”

“Really? You just gonna lie there like you don’t want to fuck?”

Mickey turned the page, his heart thumping in his throat. “You think I’m just waiting around here to service you whenever you decide you wanna bang?”

Ian scoffed quietly. “That’s the way we work, right?”

Mickey shot him a dirty look. “Are you serious right now?”

Ian giggled and stalked over to the bed. “Mandy could wake up any minute. We doing this?”

Mickey rolled his eyes but threw the magazine down on the floor. Ian smirked and swiftly unbuttoned his jeans, peeling them down his strong legs. 

“Nice stems.”

Ian paused and gaped at the man on the bed. 

“Did you just quote Clueless at me?”

Mickey’s eyes danced when he smirked at Ian. “Why you still got clothes on?”

Ian quickly shed the rest of his clothes until he was naked and his erection bobbed in front of him. Mickey knew he was in deep already but seeing Ian standing in his room, ready and waiting for him, it made him realize how sunk he actually was. Knowing Ian was harboring feelings made Mickey feel shaky and uncertain about his own stance on their...whatever the fuck this was. He knew he needed to put a stop to this. Catching feelings was never part of the plan but he could’ve carried on if it was just him feeling the feels. Now he knew Ian was confused about them too it was only fair to shut it down before it got one or both of them killed. But Ian was right there. Within touching distance. With a hard on just for him. Maybe he could be selfish for one more night. 

 

“Okay. Who is she?” Mandy’s voice was loud in his hungover head. 

Mickey shrank away from his sister. “Who? What?”

“Whoever you’ve been seeing...who is she? Must be getting serious.” Mandy placed the cup of coffee on the table beside him. 

He reached for it and cast a glance to his left to see if Terry was listening to Mandy run her mouth about things she didn’t have a hope of getting right. 

“Who says I’m seeing anyone?” Mickey retorted with a huff. 

“I do. You’ve been staying out all night. You’ve taken more showers in the last few weeks than you did in the first fifteen years of your life. You keep getting messages from someone called Princess on that burner phone you haven’t burned yet even though it’s been at least a month. And you’ve got a hickey.” His evil sister reeled off dramatically. 

Terry grinned condescendingly and patted Mickey on the shoulder. “Nice goin’ son. You let em mark you and they think they own you.”

Mandy was about to protest but Mickey held up his hand. 

“You been reading my messages?” Mickey glared. 

Mandy shrugged. “Hardly anything poetic are they? You’re not exactly Shakespeare. But you obviously keep going back for more. A _lot_ more.”

“Princess is a fuckin hooker, alright? I call her, we fuck, I pay. That’s it.” Mickey cut her off, the tips of his ears growing warm. “Don’t got any interest in a fuckin noose around my neck in the form of a girlfriend okay?”

Mandy regarded her brother carefully and noticed his ears turning pink and his eyes shifting around the room. She knew him well enough to see when he was diverting and she figured Terry was the reason. She left it alone and headed off to meet Ian for a study date. 

 

“Mickey’s up to something.” Mandy muttered to her best friend, so caught up in her own head that she missed Ian’s head lifting up at the sound of Mickey’s name. 

“Like what? Illegal shit?” He probed gently. 

She shook her long, dark hair. “Think he’s got a girlfriend.”

Ian’s eyes widened. “Oh. Okay...”

Mandy sighed loudly and flopped down on the bed next to Ian. “Fuckin hate this class. Why’d I ever need to know what the layers of the Earth are called? Jesus fuck.”

Then she was off...ranting about the state of their education while Ian was completely thrown off course by the revelation. He reached for his phone, an old piece of shit Mickey robbed some hipster on the L for him, and contemplated firing off a message to Mickey. While his fingers itched to type, his brain drew a blank. How could he articulate his sadness and anger that Mickey was seeing someone else without sounding like a lovesick teenager? He snorted softly when he realized that’s _exactly_ what he was. 

“What?” Mandy frowned at him. 

He smiled and tossed his phone on the bed. “Nothing. You got the answer to number three yet?”

She ignored him and picked up his phone. “This new?”

Ian blushed. “Nah. Swiped it from some douchebag with too much money.”

“Ugh...come on...let’s finish this and then we can get high.” 

 

Later that night Ian was alone in his room, still high from the weed Mandy shared with him when they finished their homework. The intense need to contact Mickey was still tingling in his fingertips. He wasn’t supposed to initiate contact. Mickey’s burner phone was meant to be burnt on the first of every month. No exceptions. But he risked the wrath of the lunatic that was his father to keep one going just for Ian. That meant he had to wait for Mickey to contact him and that was sporadic at best. Just as he was about the throw the phone across the room and smash it off a wall it buzzed in his palm. He hastily opened the message, grinning broadly. 

“ _Tomorrow. My place. After school_.”

Ian scoffed fondly at the blunt text. Mickey was direct, that’s for sure. He replied with a message that beat even Mickey’s bluntness. 

“ _K_.”

He tossed his phone aside and closed his eyes, hoping sleep would come. 

 

When Ian arrived at the Milkovich house after school he was stunned when Mandy opened the door. 

“Hey!” She greeted brightly. “What are you doing here?”

Mickey appeared behind her left shoulder. “Who the fuck is it?”

Ian caught his eye and Mickey widened them in warning. He was telling him to play the game. 

“I...uh...” Ian stuttered for a spilt second before a smile lit up his face. “Thought you might wanna study for that Math test.”

Mandy tilted her head and frowned. “That’s not until next week.”

“I know.” Ian shrugged. “But I’ve got ROTC camp all weekend so I need to get ahead.”

Mandy nodded. “Sure. Come in.”

Ian followed her into the house and narrowed his eyes at Mickey when Mandy wasn’t looking. They slumped onto the sofa as Mickey hovered beside them. 

“You douchebags gonna be here all day?”

Mandy shrugged. “Why? You got something to do?”

Mickey shook his head. “Just don’t wanna listen to you nerds all day.”

“So put on a movie or something.” Mandy huffed. 

“Fine.” Mickey glared and flopped onto the sofa beside Ian, elbowing him so he shuffled down but still kept his body pressed against him. He changed the tv channel to a NASCAR event and heaved a sigh. 

“I’ll get my books.” Mandy left them alone for a moment and Ian reeled around on Mickey. 

“What the fuck, Mick?” He growled. 

Mickey’s brows arched in that way that made Ian’s insides turn to mush. “I didn’t know she’d be here!”

“Well she is! Now what? I’ve gotta study for a test that I don’t need!”

“Go with it. I’ll figure something out.” Mickey snapped just as Mandy came back into the room. 

“What’s up with you two?” 

Ian huffed. “I asked him to turn the tv down and he’s being a dick about it.”

Mickey’s eyes narrowed at the lie but he didn’t argue. Instead he lowered the volume by one notch. 

“That better for you, Princess?” He glowered. 

“Much.” Ian nodded. “Thanks.”

Neither man noticed the strange flicker of something unreadable on Mandy’s face that suggested a thought or an idea was stuck somewhere in the depths of her mind. It lingered for only a second before she shook it off, eager to get started so they could play some video games before Ian left. It didn’t take long for Mickey to start irritating the other two with his sarcastic commentary on their academic abilities. Mandy got fed up first and launched a sofa cushion at his head. Mickey caught it easily and threw it back at his sister. It fell short of the target and hit Ian square in the face. 

“Jesus! Would you leave it out for just a fuckin minute Mick?” He snapped and shoved at the older boy’s shoulder. 

Mandy tensed and waited for Mickey to lash out. Her brother hated being touched. Always had. Well, at least since they were kids and their mom died. Mickey closed off then and would barely even look at people let alone touch them. Her mouth fell open in shock when she saw Mickey’s eyes widen as he stared at Ian. The redhead seemed completely oblivious that he’d just poked an angry bear and buried his head back in his book. Mandy waited. And waited. Her eyes bored into Mickey but he was still looking at Ian. 

“Keep your hands off me, tough guy. Never know if being a cake boy is contagious.” Mickey finally warned in an ominously low voice. 

Ian snorted. “No problem. You’re not my type.”

Mickey turned back to the tv and left Mandy with her jaw swinging open. Why hadn’t he flipped his shit with Ian? How did he know Ian was gay? She’d never breathed a word about that and nobody other than Lip knew. Lip was hardly likely to pass that news along to Mickey Milkovich of all people. And, if Mickey did know about Ian’s sexual orientation, why wasn’t he rounding up Terry and their merry band of psychos to march down to the Gallagher house and bash the gay right out of Ian? None of this made sense. It was all too...

 

It hit her like a ton of bricks. It knocked the wind out of her so she had to gasp hard for a breath and sounded like she was choking. Ian jumped to attention and grabbed her by the upper arm, shaking her roughly. 

“Are you okay?” He demanded. 

With another gasp Mandy’s lungs filled with air. “You!”

Ian frowned. “Me? Me what?”

“You! And him!” She pointed shakily at Mickey. 

Her brother’s head turned so fast it almost snapped his neck. “The fuck?”

“Princess. You’re Princess! What the _fuck_?” Mandy shrieked and waved her arms wildly. 

Ian’s expression grew more confused. “I don’t know what you mean...”

“You’re fucking my brother!” Mandy blurted out loudly. 

“Mandy!” Mickey yelled in stunned disbelief. 

“ _What_?” Ian hissed. 

Mandy didn’t add anything else. Instead, she grabbed up the phone on the table in front of them. Mickey realized after a second that it was his phone in her hand and a second after that he realized what was about to happen. 

“Mandy...don’t...” His voice was low and warning. 

But when did Mandy ever listen to a warning?

Mickey’s stare burned into her but she held up the handset defiantly. Time seemed to stop. Then it happened. A muffled tinkling noise could be heard and it was coming from Ian’s jeans pocket. Mandy would have crowed triumphantly as she turned the phone around so the two men could see the name Princess on the screen if it didn’t mean life as she knew it was shot to shit. But it was shot to shit. The person she’d lived with for almost sixteen years was not the person she thought she knew. The person who’d been her best friend and her rock during the hardest times of her life was keeping a huge secret from her. She told him everything. Absolutely _**everything**_. Underlined and in bold italics. And he was holding back the most important detail of his life. It didn’t seem fair. It wasn't right.

“It’s not what you think.” Ian let the words tumble out of his mouth. Immediately he knew they did more harm than good. 

“Are you telling me I got this wrong?” Mandy snapped and tossed the phone across the room so it smashed off the plasterboard wall near the front door. The ringing from Ian’s pocket stopped abruptly. 

“You don’t know shit so shut the fuck up.” Mickey leapt to his feet. 

He’d always been pale, sometimes bordering on sickly looking, but right now Mickey looked deceased. The grey tinge to his skin let Mandy know exactly how terrified her brother was just then. 

“I know way more than I did ten minutes ago! You’re _gay_?”

Mickey flinched. “Shut the fuck up.”

Ian snorted from the other side of the couch and Mickey reeled around on him. 

“You got something to say Firecrotch? Somethin’ you wanna add to this fuck up you caused?” 

Ian bristled at his taunts. “I didn’t cause shit. It’s hardly my fault Mandy can put two and two together and get four. You think everyone in the world around you is so fuckin stupid. Like you’re the only one with a brain cell. Well that fuckin backfired didn’t it? She’s not stupid. She’s anything but stupid. You got us caught out. Not me.”

Mandy was still wrapped up in the trauma but she heard the compliment and her heart ached for her friend. 

“You lied to me.” She accused Ian, her voice cracking with emotion. 

“I didn’t lie.” Ian sighed softly. “I couldn’t tell you.”

Mandy blew up again. “Fine! It was a...a lie of...emission or whatever.”

Mickey rolled his eyes. “Omission. A lie of omission.”

Ian shook his head. “Not the time Mick.”

Mandy screwed up her face at the familiarity Ian and Mickey shared. She wasn’t even aware the two men had shared more than a couple of minutes in the same room before and now Ian was calling him Mick like they’d been friends forever. 

“How long...?” Mandy stared Ian down. 

Ian’s face flushed. “It’s not just my story to tell.”

Mandy looked at Mickey, who was vibrating on the spot. 

“And he won’t talk. So that’s that.” Ian added. 

“Mickey...he’s my best friend...”

Mickey’s fear made itself known through his temper. “It’s none of your fuckin business Mandy. Leave it alone.”

Mandy jumped up and got in his face. “Tell me the truth, you coward! He’s been talking about this guy for months...the things they do together...I got some pretty juicy details. And it turns out to be _you_? My straight as an arrow brother has been fucking my best friend for months behind my back! You both lied to me! Did you laugh about me? How I was so dumb?”

Her rant changed pace when Mickey stood silently and absorbed her venomous words. She reeled around on Ian and shoved him in his chest. 

“And you! You’re okay with him telling people Princess is a hooker and it’s just sex? He’s my brother! My _brother_? All the stuff you told me! Are you fuckin sick or something? Did you pretend to want to hang out with me so you could come around here to see Mickey?”

Ian’s blush gave him away and even his rapid denial didn’t help. 

“Oh my God! That’s why you’re here now! Isn’t it?” She demanded. “I was meant to be in detention but it got cancelled. I wasn’t meant to be here!”

Ian closed his eyes and groaned. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen...”

Mandy’s next breath came as a sob. “I hate you both.”

Ian watched as she fled the room and locked herself away in her bedroom. 

“Get the fuck out of here.” Mickey hissed lowly. 

Ian scoffed loudly. “And there he is.”

“The fuck does that mean?”

“The going gets tough and Mickey gets going. I didn’t expect anything else.” Ian chuckled darkly as he shoved his books back into his bag and hitched it up on his shoulder. 

“Just in case you were in any doubt, we're done. Next time you wanna get your dick sucked you can go back to half-assed blowies from Angie Zhago. You fuckin coward.” Ian bumped Mickey’s shoulder as he stormed towards the front door. 

“Hey...” Mickey started to speak but Ian slammed the door closed before the words came out. 

 

Mandy didn’t speak to Mickey for days. Not that he tried to talk to her. He wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to talk to her again. Mickey knew she was hurting and he hated that he did that to her but the frightening reality of people knowing his secret was enough to stitch his lips together. Even Terry noticed the atmosphere between them and asked them about it on the one occasion they were in the same room that week. 

“He fucked my friend.” Mandy said simply and left the room. 

Terry looked at Mickey. “She’s pissed because of that?”

“Looks like it.” Mickey shrugged, his stomach twisting anxiously. 

“Girls.” Terry muttered. 

 

Nobody had seen Ian for days. He’d called in sick at the shop and skipped school. Mandy stared at his empty seat in the classroom and wondered why she was so torn up about all this. She’d felt so betrayed that she told Ian she hated him but now she missed him so much it was like her heart was spilling out onto the desk in front of her. 

“Where’s your boyfriend Skankovich?” 

Mandy rolled her eyes at Joni Bennett, the class bitch who made it her mission to piss Mandy off every damn day. “Fuck off, slut.”

“Ouch. Coming from you that really hurts.”

Mandy flipped her off just as the teacher entered the room. 

“Detention, Miss Milkovich. We don’t show our feelings with our middle finger in this class.”

Joni snickered loudly. “Mandy shows her feelings in lots of ways...”

The class erupted in laughter as Mandy slumped in her seat, wishing Ian was there to back her up. 

Jesus. Could this situation get any worse?

 

It was a little over a week after the day that changed everything when Mandy knew she had to speak to her brother. He’d been a different person since she found out his secret. Quiet, withdrawn and moping around the house like his puppy got hit by a truck. His temper with Terry was short and it earned him a smack in the face. The bruise under his eye only added definition to the dark circles already there. Mandy knew he wasn’t sleeping very well. She’d heard him moving around the house in the early hours of the morning more than once. 

Steeling herself for rejection, Mandy knocked gently on his bedroom door. When Mickey didn’t respond she opened it slowly and looked into the room. Mickey was on his bed, wearing just his boxer shorts, staring up at the ceiling as he smoked a joint. There was a half empty bottle of Jack on the bedside table. 

“Mickey?” She whispered. 

His eyes flicked to the door. “What?”

“Can I come in?”

“Think you’re already in.” He drawled and exhaled a lungful of herbal poison into the air around him. 

Mandy shuffled in and closed the door. They were alone in the house but this still felt very private. 

“You okay?” 

Mickey scoffed at her question. “Course I am.”

“I’m not.” Mandy sighed and Mickey rolled his eyes. She thought he was about to snap and make her leave but his silence meant she was allowed to continue. 

“I’m so mad at you. Both of you. He’s made me feel so dumb and so used. But you...you didn’t trust me with this.”

Mickey’s glare cut her to silence. “I don’t trust anyone. Not you. Not him. I don’t trust myself...”

Mandy was about to speak again when he quietly finished his sentence. 

“...especially when I’m with him.”

“So you’re actually gay...?”

Mickey shrugged. “Can’t be.”

“That’s not an answer!” She hissed. 

Mickey took another deep toke on the joint and then passed it over to his sister. “I dunno what to tell you, Mands.”

“The truth! When did it start?”

Mickey groaned and rubbed his eyes with his fingertips. “Ugh! Women! You just wanna talk all the goddamn time!”

“You started fucking Ian so you didn’t have to talk?” Mandy teased and Mickey snorted. 

“Probably. I mean, that and the dick.” Mickey joked. 

Mandy gasped and shrieked a laugh. “Oh my God!”

Mickey laughed darkly. “If he finds out I’m gonna die. You know that right?”

At first Mandy thought he meant Ian. But she quickly understood he meant Terry and nodded firmly. 

“I know.”

“And Ian, too.”

It was the first she’d heard her brother call Ian by his actual name. She nodded again. 

“I know.”

“I can’t be anything other than what I am now.”

“But you like him...it’s more than just fooling around. Right? It definitely is for him...”

Mickey sighed heavily. “None of that matters.”

Mandy’s eyes filled with tears. “This sucks.”

They shared the rest of the joint and Mandy lay down beside him on the bed. 

“Tell me the truth Mickey. Just me. Tell me how you feel about him. I need to know he hasn’t been falling for the worst version of you. I need to know what made him do this.”

Mickey was silent for a long time. Mandy wasn’t sure if he was asleep or ignoring her completely. Then he started to speak and his voice was so low and quiet it made her heart break. 

“It started when you sent me to chase him down for touching you. We played cat and mouse for while. He was scared but he couldn’t stop staring at me every time I saw him. It gave me a thrill that I could get a reaction outta him. Then I stole a gun from the shop. Towelhead tooled himself up to protect against me and I stole the damn gun. I hated that fuckin pedophile fuck. Ian broke in here with a tire iron and threatened me to get it back. I saw something then. The fear. The determination. We were fighting one minute and fucking the next.”

Mandy tensed. “In here? On this bed? I hope you changed the sheets.”

“It was months ago Mandy.” Mickey huffed. 

“Exactly.” She teased him. 

Mickey was silent again but Mandy wanted to know more. 

“When you went to juvie...”

“Yup. He shot me cuz of Ian.”

“Jesus. And he came with me to pick you up...”

“Visited a couple times before that too. Blackmailed the fuckin Towelhead into puttin money in my commissary. Tried to tell him to stay away. I’m not worth it. But he didn't listen.”

“Neither did you.” Mandy noted dryly. 

“Nah. Nah I didn’t.” Mickey chuckled harshly. 

“You like him.” Mandy stated. 

Mickey paused before he nodded, sighing loudly in defeat. “I do. Stupid, ginger fuck just walked in and blew my life up.”

“You love him?”

“I’m not sure I know how to love anyone.”

“You need to go see him. Talk to him. Tell him how you feel.”

“Fuck off.” Mickey laughed. “You’ve got to be joking.”

“I’m not joking. He’s seriously into you Mick. He’s talked about you to me for a long time. He deserves to hear this.” Mandy argued. 

Mickey sighed. “What good would it do? I still can’t give him what he wants.”

“He just wants you.” Mandy stated and crawled off the bed. “Go see him. I want my friend back.”

 

Mickey found Ian less than an hour after he started looking for him. He was on a rooftop overlooking the old warehouses and yards on the outskirts of their neighborhood. They met up here from time to time when they needed to be alone. Ian was cleaning and polishing his parade boots. It was something he was very meticulous about, even when Mickey ridiculed him for his devotion to ROTC. 

“You playin shoot em ups with your GI Joe’s again?” 

Ian didn’t look up. “Not interested.”

“Oh? I’ll just turn around right now huh?”

“Yes please.”

Mickey huffed loudly and sat down next to Ian on the step. “Drop the attitude, drama queen. I wanna talk to you.”

Ian stayed silent and kept his eyes fixed on the task at hand. 

“I’m sorry.” Mickey blurted out. 

Ian’s hands slowed and he turned slowly to glance at Mickey. “Who are you and what have you done with Mickey?”

Mickey rolled his eyes skyward. “I’m being serious here, man. I shouldn’t have said what I did in front of Mandy. I shouldn’t have left you to take the heat.”

“I’m not bothered about any of that Mick. I expected that. But it made me realise what I knew all along. I’m in love with you. But I couldn’t say anything to you about it so I didn’t admit it to anyone. And now I just can’t carry on with you knowing you don’t feel the same and I’m just a fuck to you.”

Mickey groaned under his breath. “Ian...”

“No. It’s okay. I’m okay with it. I just need to take some time out and get over it.”

Mickey turned to face Ian. “Listen to me. It’s not that I don’t feel the same that’s got me actin’ this way. It’s because I do feel the same. I need to protect you from my psycho family because if anything happened to you I wouldn’t ever forgive myself. I’d never get over it. So I keep my distance. Best I can.”

Ian’s mouth fell open. “You...”

Mickey nodded. “I do. But I’m not supposed to. So I act like I don’t.”

Ian grinned at the cryptic response and Mickey smiled back at him. 

“What are we gonna do?” Ian sighed. 

Mickey shrugged widely. “That’s up to you. I can’t be out. If you wanna still keep this thing goin it’s gotta be on the down low. If that’s not enough for you, I get it. I can let you go if that’s what you need. Say the word and I’ll leave you alone...”

“I don’t want that.” Ian mumbled. 

“Neither do I.” Mickey admitted. “But secrecy is all I can offer you.”

Ian nodded. “I’ll take it.”

“Yeah? You should think about it.”

“It’s all I’ve thought about for months Mick.”

Mickey smiled. “Okay.”

“Can I kiss you?”

Ian grinned as Mickey’s eyes lifted to the sky once again. They didn’t kiss. Ever. 

“Fine.”

Ian pressed his lips to Mickey’s and the brunet kissed him back gently. It lasted for all of two minutes and it was electric. 

“Wow.” Ian pulled away, starry-eyed. 

Mickey’s pupils were blown. “Yeah.”

They gazed at each other for a moment before Mickey spoke again. 

“I’ll try harder. For you. I’ll try to be more of what you need. When it’s just us.” 

Ian’s eyes shone with tears. “Okay. Thanks Mick. I’ll try to cut you some slack.”

Mickey nodded. “And you gotta call Mandy. She misses you. She’s pissed as hell but she needs you.”

“I miss her too.” Ian admitted. 

“Go kiss and make up with her too.” Mickey teased and Ian laughed. 

“I will. Just one more kiss.”

Mickey yanked him closer and kissed him thoroughly. “You’re gonna regret this, Firecrotch. I’m no good for you.”

Ian just smiled serenely. “We’ll see.”

  

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
